EDT Blog
Period Dress and the Culture of Theater Going c. 1913
March 15, 2009
By Stefan Iwaskewycz, EDT Dancer
Come to the show in 1913 period dress or folk costume!
Vienna Court Opera in 1902We hope that you will help us recreate the atmosphere of a 1913 performance by coming to our show in period dress or folk costume!
Click for ideas of 1913 period dress.
Come to the show dressed in your best, high fashion outfit of the time. Or come dressed as an urban worker or country farmer. Come dressed in folk costume. Though in 1913 such an array of people from different social classes would never have mixed in a single theater, we certainly can do it!
A brief note on the culture of theater-going in 1913:
In 1913, in an era before radio and television and on the cusp of film, going to the theater was a major event. Throughout Europe and the US there were a variety of theaters and opera houses that catered to the differing tastes of different social classes. At theaters for the elite, folks without the proper dress or status markers were barred from entering, and attendance was about being seen as much as it was about seeing--and what people came to see was not on the stage alone!
There were also theaters for the urban working class and a tradition of staging performances in the countryside. At times people in small towns and villages staged their own performances, especially as schools became more common. However, throughout Europe there were ancient traditions of folk pageantry, such as the skits associated with "mumming" and the winter holiday season, as well as for other holidays throughout the year!
Back to home.
The Kaiser's Jubilee can be seen:
March 20-22, 2009
Fri-Sat: 7:30 PM; Su: 2 PM
Fitzgerald Theater
10 E Exchange Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
*Click for map
Fitzgerald Box Office:
651-290-1200
www.ticketmaster.com
Ticketmaster: 800-982-2787
$25 Adult;
$20 Senior;
$15 Student;
$12 under 12
Back to main blog page.
Blog posts:
More about The Kaiser's Jubilee
Period Dress and Culture of Theatre-Going c. 1913
To Ukraine in Search of Authentic Hutsul Dance
Did you know? Concert Factoids:*
Coming Soon. . . Factoids for THEN and NOW, EDT's Spring Show 2011
Click to enlarge
May 13-15
Ethnic Dance Theatre presents THEN and NOW, its 37th Annual Spring Concert Series featuring the music and dance of Bosnia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Iran, Norway, Sweden, and Turkey at the Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis.
One of the most compelling elements of a people's identity is its folk culture. EDT is known for the authenticity it brings to interpreting ethnic music and dance for the stage, and is respected for its work in promoting ethnic music, dance, and costume as art. The first half of the show--THEN--demonstrates our signature performance style at its best.
Folk cultures are constantly evolving, and the manner of presenting folk music, dance and costume on the stage has been undergoing much change around the world in recent years. In some instances, change in the style of presentation has preserved the baby of tradition, while in others, we feel it has not. In the second half of the show--NOW--audiences will experience something of a departure from EDT's traditional style as we present our own contemporary interpretation of ethnic dance, music and costume!
Presentation of THEN and NOW is made possible in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, the McKnight Foundation, the Target Foundation, and our individual donors.
**If you know something interesting--including your own personal story--about a culture represented in our current season, please tell us about it here!